Monday reader's view: Health care reform a power grab

Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, November 29, 2009

To the editor:

John Burke writes in his recent letter that: "(U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak should) also remember that health care reform is a moral issue in itself. That thousands are dying every year because of the lack of affordable health care is also a call to provide help "to the least of these" (Matt 25:40)" ("Stupak Admired," Nov 18).

I agree 100 percent that thousands of people dying every year due to lack of health care is awful. Unfortunately, it does not logically follow that government is the most effective tool for alleviating this problem. Even if it were possible to accurately communicate the desires of the public to Congress, it is highly unlikely that Congress would fulfill the desires of the public over the desires of special interest groups.

The current health care proposals are no exception. Although health care reform has been sold to the public as a solution to the suffering illustrated above, behind the scenes it is nothing more than a power grab by big businesses that have effectively used special interest groups to rig government policy in their own favor at the expense of American consumers.